Direct comparison of HI and KH

jamesraykenney said:
Well, I should have three in in a few days...
I ordered a Aitihasik

1109672158.jpg

because I always wanted a very OLD style...
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I'd love to see HI do one of these.... I've been tempted by them a couple different places on the web.
 
Thanks Dan and everyone else too. I began sanding the polish from the blade last night. I started on the KH knives just in case. I also did some experimenting with the handle, filing down the ring a bit and sanding the polish from the horn. I really like a matte finished horn handle both functionally and aesthetically (sp). I liked the results, so I plan to begin work on the HI CAK today. Very exciting. Even the father in law had to acknowledge the craftsmanship and excellent design of the Khukuri last night. AND my wife thinks they will make good gifts, so I'll get to buy a few more with her permission/knowledge of the transaction. Hurray!!! Decided to wait on the BGRS though. I figure its good to pace myself and I should at least finish working on these knives before purchasing new projects. Hard to do though.

Andy
 
Daniel Koster said:
Wow...that Bahadur is neat...would love to see how it tests out. Keep us posted, JRK...



Satin finish is obtained by rubbing the blade with various grits of sandpaper, starting with 220 and ending with 800.
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What is the deal with them calling the bottom of the blade a blood dripper???
I think they call the Cho that on their other ones...:rolleyes:
 
DannyinJapan said:
Thats just what I was thinking. ITs a good price too.
I may just have to get one of those....
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It is more than they say on that site, because they do not include shipping in the price...
I got mine from Khukuri House USA for $65.00 PLUS $9.00 shipping(but shipping on my 2 others was reduced because of the multiple order to $4.00 each).
So it is NOT as good a price as it looks at first glance...
BUT ordering from the other place, the shipping is $34.02($29.50 for the 'other' other place) for just one knife!!!
So Khukuri House USA is probably the way to go, if they have what you want in stock... And after the quality control problem he had a while back, I think you stand a better chance of getting a good one, first try, from him...

Does anyone know what the differance between this Kukri House and this Kukri House???
They have ALMOST the same things in their catalogs...
 
Same company.
They have a few websites, that's all.
One is more like an information base, the other being their direct online selling website.
 
JimmyJimenez said:
Same company.
They have a few websites, that's all.
One is more like an information base, the other being their direct online selling website.
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Thanks!
It is strange that they charge differant shipping from the two sites though...
 
No problem :)
I believe they concentrate more on updating their newer online shopping site (the khukurihouseonline addy). The other is their older site (now more of an info site), and they probably don't do much with it these days. If you notice, both of these sites have links to each other.
 
Just wanted to add some tid bits that are related to this thread's discussions:

There are various so called "khukuri houses" in Nepal.
The words "khukuri house(s)" have become a term generically used to describe Nepalese shops that specialize in offering khukuri knives. Some of these "Houses" may actually have shops in Nepalese villages exclusively making their knives for them, while others may just shop around and get them from whatever Nepalese sources they can find that will make them. In any case, the words "khukuri house(s)" usually refer to centralized outlets for Neplalese khukuri knives.
The thing is, "Khukuri House" is actually a legal name for one of these khukuri outlet firms. This "Khukuri House" firm claims to be the original, and it could be that they are. Their company and name may be the basis for the generic use of the words "khukuri house". They may also have been the first in Nepal to actually offer and sell khukuris under a true name brand. Before this, there were shops selling khukuri knives in Nepal, but "Khukuri House" actually started selling these wares as a "Khukuri House" product (starting a name brand following). They also had a standardized product line, and that was pretty much a new thing. They claim that they have their own shops that manufacture these knives exclusively for them, but that I would not know for sure.
Once others started seeing how a brand name could help in selling khukuris, it did not take too long before others jumped on the bandwagon. Other "houses" jumped into the fray, and that is why you see other names like "Khukuri Palace" and "Nepalese Khukuri House" (of which neither is connected to the "original" Khukuri House firm). The Khukuri House firm is probably the most copied by the other shops in Nepal. Once they come out with something in their line-up that may be a bit different, it only takes a short time before the others make their own versions of it. As I write this, there is an exclusive model that Khukuri House calls "Brown Bond", and I'm willing to bet that it won't be too long before the other shops have their copies out.
From what I understand, the Khukuri House played with the idea for a while in putting trademarks on their khuks, but that too was quickly copied by the others. This meant that khuks not sourced from the Khukuri House were being sold as if they were, trademarks and all. I guess they decided to do away with the marking idea because of this, but my understanding is that they may again start marking them in some way. I guess the laws concerning trademarks, tradenames, design patents, etc, are poor to non exsistant in that part of the world.

It seems that most Nepalese khukuri shops claim that they have at one time or another held a Government contract for supplying khukuri knives to the British Gurkhas. Since these contracts are issued to the lowest bidder that can meet the proper standards, it could be true that most, if not all that claim it are actually telling the truth.
On this matter, the Khukuri House firm "is" actually telling the truth.

On another khukuri forum there was a gentleman that wrote the following:

"Last year 2004 I wrote to the British Gurkhas in Kathmandu, Nepal inquiring who supplied them with Khukuris. I was going to Nepal in December and on my previous journies to Nepal I found several so called official suppliers. And more recently they are poping up on ebay. There are several companies in Nepal that say that they are the supplier or have supplied, some are correct while others probably not."

This was the reply he received:
____________________________________________________________

From: Major ADT Whitfield MBE AGC (ETS)
Officer Commanding

1. I understand that you wish to know who supplies the Brigade of Gurkhas with their kukris.

2. An initial issue (No 1 and No 2) is made to recruits following recruit selection in Dec/Jan each year. These kukris are purchased following the submission, by various contractors, of competitive tender. The current contractor is Mr Lalit Kumar Lama of Khukuri House, Saat Ghumti, Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal (00977-1-412314).

The initial issue is provided to the recruit at government expense. Any replacement during his service is made at private expense.

3. Kukris for sale to serving personnel in Nepal and Brunei are obtained by BGN from Mr Bhim Rashaili of Itahari Khukuri Udhog (00977-25-582787). The UK-based units make thier own arrangements of which I do not have any details.

4. You will gather from this that there is no single supplier of kukris to the Brigade of Gurkhas. This may explain the mixed response you have received from Khukuri House and Nepalese Khukuri House.

letter dated 25 Oct. 2004
 
Ok, an update...
I got them in...
Same day I also got another Bilton(I think) from Yangdu!!!:eek:
Ok... I do not know what is going on here, but this is the second knife I have got from Yangdu without my ordering or paying for it...:confused:

While I am VERY grateful and happy to get them, I just hope I am not getting someone else's knives!!!


Ok, back on topic...
The Bahadur is great... It fits my hand like it was made for it...
The Ganjuwal is just something special, I wish HI made one like this.
I do not know what to think about the Aitihasik yet... It looks to be very much a user...
The tinder pouch on both the Bahadur and the Ganjuwal is VERY dry and I am afraid that it will split if I open it too far... I will have to treat them before I use them.
There is also a pencil in a slot in both of them!!!???:confused:

I will post more when I have a chance of trying them out...
 
jamesraykenney said:
Ok, an update...
I got them in...
Same day I also got another Bilton(I think) from Yangdu!!!:eek:
Ok... I do not know what is going on here, but this is the second knife I have got from Yangdu without my ordering or paying for it...:confused:

While I am VERY grateful and happy to get them, I just hope I am not getting someone else's knives!!!
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Oh, those are mine! :D

You are a favored son of the khukuri god.
 
Jamesray,

Thanks for posting up the information about your new knives.
Would you mind telling me if you found any fractures in your KH knives?
I'm especially curious to learn if you found hairline fractures in the cho/kaudi areas of the main blades, and if the handles were fracture free?

If you have photos of your new knives, I would love to see them :)

Thanks in advance :)
 
JimmyJimenez said:
Jamesray,

Thanks for posting up the information about your new knives.
Would you mind telling me if you found any fractures in your KH knives?
I'm especially curious to learn if you found hairline fractures in the cho/kaudi areas of the main blades, and if the handles were fracture free?

If you have photos of your new knives, I would love to see them :)

Thanks in advance :)
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I am waiting on a tow truck before going to work, when I get there I will try to do a scan of the knives...
I think there is a small crack(Actually 'check' is the proper term, if I remember correctly) in the grip of one, but it is so small that it might actually be just a deep part of the grain...
I did not look at the cho that closely, but I will as soon as I get some free time at work.
 
I,m still in the testing stage myself . I doubt if I,ll ever get into torture tests for monetairy and personal reasons . Maybe one day down the road I,ll want a knife with a non-traditional pommel . The only reason I would want a more robust pommel would be to pommel/pummel/pound something . I cannot see me wielding a Kukuuri in such a manner except in dire straits . If the pommel is away from me that means the blade is towards me .
I checked out a couple of K:H: Kukuuris that had aluminum handles . I am sure they are stronger as claimed though I didn,t see as compared to what .
I just don,t see aluminum and Kukuuris going together . I know they have other models it is just the idea of it that threw me off .

As has been stated I respect the evident lineage and openness of the H:I: family of which I feel a part .
 
jamesraykenney said:
I am waiting on a tow truck before going to work, when I get there I will try to do a scan of the knives...
I think there is a small crack(Actually 'check' is the proper term, if I remember correctly) in the grip of one, but it is so small that it might actually be just a deep part of the grain...
I did not look at the cho that closely, but I will as soon as I get some free time at work.
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I appreciate it :)
 
Jimmy

I found no checks or cracks in either handle or blade anywhere at all on the KH knives. I did find some issues with the handle of the HI knife I got first. I have since read that these issues are common and usually environmental. I spent a couple of hours filling with epoxy sanding and polishing the HI handle and it is perfect now. The Cho in both brand knives was flawless. I think the blade and overall craftsmanship in the HI knife is far superior. The balance is certainly better, but I got the panawal special from Kh and it is heavy as hell. Much heavier than the Chiruwa AK from HI. Perhaps too forward heavy. It really works the arms out. I have swung both knives and find the CAK more comfortable. They both chop and pry flawlessly and my 185 lbs cannot bend or even begin to change the shape of either.

Andy
 
Thank you very much for checking that out for me :)

As for HI having problems with handle fractures, the more I read about their issues, the more I believe that it's more of a wood curing problem then anything else. When wood is properly cured, most unstable areas will expose themselves during the process. This is a good thing, since it means that any portions of the wood that develope fractures/cracks can be discarded.
Even well cured wood can later develope fractures and such, but it's much less likely. Properly cured wood will usually stand up to more environmental changes without ill effect. On the other hand, non properly cured wood will be more likely to expose any weakness it may have at a later date, after the wood has been installed on the product.

The curing process of wood is not only designed to cure (a period for some proper drying and shrinkage), but it's also a proofing period (often-times exposing potential problems). I'm afraid that HI wood may not be getting the full curing that it requires.

Miss Yangdu may be having problems that can easily be downsized or almost eliminated. It may be as simple as the folks in Nepal taking the wood curing process a bit more serious.
 
Jimmy,

That is true, but even properly cured wood will sometime check when it is cut into very small peices, or hollowed out. You can see where this is significant to khukuris. There are areas of wood that have warping forces acting on it that are not stron enough to cause a problem because of the strength of the surrounding wood, but when singled out significant problems occur. Unfortunately this is very significant in beautiful burls and crotch woods normally selected for handles. Also if the knifemaker doesn't seal both sides of the handle material the unsealed side will accept moisture and the sealed side won't causing warp.

Andy
 
They will probably best be served by not just cutting up handle materials from very large pieces of wood. Instead, the wood should be cut to sizes closer to what the final size requirements will be, any final problems will most likely expose themselves during the final curing.

Whether we are speaking of furniture, gun stocks, knife handles, etc, curing the wood is the most crucial step before one goes on to the next steps of the final cutting, shaping, finishing, preserving, and maintaining. There are a lot of variables to be concerned with, but if the crucial curing step is not handled correctly (no pun intended), then it will be very difficult for the continuing steps to make up for that major deficiency.
A proper curing process is simply the most important step that can be taken by the manufacturer to help prevent unwanted cracks in the final product. The distributor and consumer can also do things to help maintain the wood, but it has to start with the initial proper curing, otherwise headaches are definitely more likely.
 
Jimmy, most of the cracking of handles you hear about on this forum concern the water buffalo horn handles and not the wood handles. Horn is likes the changes in humidity even less than wood does unfortunately:( I haven't had any problems with any of my wood handles from HI.
 
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